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resolvedToday I was cycling on to the slip road to enter the A899 and I was stopped by a police car. The officer said he did not think you were allowed to cycle on the duel carriageway. I have cycled that almost every work day for a year is this correct? Its just a 50mph.
(If it is sensible or not to cycle on the A899 is another question)
I wouldn't cycle on that at gunpoint, but there aren't any entry restrictions for cycles;
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@55.8975997,-3.5109026,3a,75y,27.95h,72.18t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sbHRQL5i5JucKhVkJ6z9iRg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
Its not ideal you have to cycle in primary on the road to the slip road because the slip road splits in two if heading to the A71 from the town center. Once on the A899 I cycled on the edge of the road if heading back towards Edinburgh.
When coming from Edinburgh(near balerno) I cycle in primary on the A899 in to Livingston as can go near 30 mph because down hill. Leaving is a bit uphill.
Its not ideal
I'd say it's about as far from ideal as it could get and not be the autobahn.
Neither would I cycle on that road. Surely there's a quieter, safer route to the A71 via Uphall and West Calder? Given there's segregated paths all over Livingston plus quiet side roads, I'd go that way. But each to their own...
I think the cops were just concerned that you will die on that road. They surely know they can't stop you, hence the vague form of words.
I'm with @crowriver on this one - discretion, valour and all that.
Livingston has everything from th M8 to off road routes. I once contemplated cycling on the m8 when it had been closed when lorry driver crashed into bridge near harthill but I then thought better not. The dual carriage way has too many slip roads and speeding drivers for me to use it. NCN route 75 runs perpendicular to the dual carriage way and west of Livingston at a wee bridge it gives you the option of continuing round the houses or joining a slip road that takes you towards Mid and east Calder B7015. East Calder has either Jupiter artland and humbie route to kirknewton back road or more direct back up onto a71 then through kirknewton to the back road. I think Ed1 will know all these routes.
From uphall you can take main road to pumpherston then midcalder then east Calder. This runs parallel to the dual carriage way.
The torphicen inn at mid Calder is now a gastro pub. Not been in.
Definitely not for the faint-hearted, but equally I didn't think there was anything wrong with cycling on it (wrong in the legal sense). Did the policeman let you carry on?
You are legally allowed to cycle on any road so long as 1) it isn't a motorway or 2) there isn't a specific ban on cycling (e.g. Edinburgh City Bypass).
Some cycling Time Trials are held on dual carriageways (usually early on Sunday mornings as I understand it). And drivers have killed people who were taking part. In fact 2-3 years back Bradley Wiggins did a local 10 mile TT (this was in the run up to his Hour Record) and that was on a dual carriageway - there were a couple of clips of it around at the time.
It isn't always possible to navigate along all those convoluted paths, back roads, tiny cut-throughs, etc.
Maybe you don't have a map. Maybe you are lost. Maybe you are in a hurry and don't have time to keep stopping every two minutes to check the map.
It's much much easier to navigate via the main roads.
So here's the rub - it should be possible to cycle on the A899 and drivers should expect cyclists to be there from time to time.
Of course, if it were in the Netherlands, it wouldn't be possible to get to the A899 by bike - you would always hit a decent cycle path first.
Back in the day, I have cycled along the A90 between Burnshot & FRB (before it was closed to bikes) and also along the A2 dual-carriageway near Dover.
The correct response from the police officer should've been to have given you a Royal escort along the A899 - police car following slowly behind you, while you cycled.
In fact 2-3 years back Bradley Wiggins did a local 10 mile TT (this was in the run up to his Hour Record) and that was on a dual carriageway - there were a couple of clips of it around at the time.
View from the person in front of Wiggins; Wiggins overtakes at 6:40ish. The guy with the camera was apparently going 38mph at the time, and Wiggins just whooshes past.
The police officer allowed me to continue I said would check if was allowed and if not would not cycle on the duel carriageway again.
The cycle route finder on Google recommends leaving the A71 at oak bank round about, the route going through the industrial estate then takes to a muddy path. When tried this in winter too muddy.
On a bright sunny day its far quicker going along the A71 then A899 although possibly not very safe.
I will need to try a few other routes out of Livingston, I don’t pass any slip roads when cycling on the A899, I join at the roundabout lizzie brice roundabout and exit at the first exit. On the way back join on a slip road and exit at the Lizzie brice roundabout.
Today think will head out by another route will need to check route finder again try and find the best road that does not involve the A899.
Ed1 I'm guessing you are heading in to the Dedridge area or somewhere like that?
Here's my route:
https://www.strava.com/activities/859856314
but the problem is that the A899 is quite a barrier from where I think you are going and the route I'm coming in on. On the section of the A899 (I think) we are looking at there is one crossing which looks like a bridge - who knows if you can cycle over it?
"who knows if you can cycle over it?"
If it's not parallel and adjacent to a road (ie. a footway (unless shared use)) the answer is yes (as it will be a footpath).
And aye, I meant East Calder not West Calder. I've cycled round Uphall, Pumpherston and East Calder and it's pretty pleasant with decent roads. Here's an example route Balerno-Livingston: https://goo.gl/maps/yPhMrnqXoaB2
who knows if you can cycle over it?
Here: https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=19/55.88375/-3.49571 ?
Marked on OSM as "Bicycles = yes"
If it's not parallel and adjacent to a road the answer is yes.
Useful rule of thumb, or always true?
"Useful rule of thumb, or always true?"
Generally, unless: the footway is shared use; the footpath has signs which explicitly forbid cycling (very rare).
@crowriver are you familiar with that route? I've never gone that way myself because the turning off the road just after the A71 crossing is a rough land rover track.
Part of my "who knows if you can cycle over it"? is to agree with edd1e_h that it shouldn't be this complicated.
Another route, Balerno-Dedridge, cutting out the A71 (except for one junction crossing). https://goo.gl/maps/kSHzAVcvyhy
I've cycled it and it's legal to do so. I can't say it's a comfortable experience, however as someone unfamiliar with the area I have (like many other visitors to the area) to rely on road signs and main roads, as often the cycle network (particularly in places like Livingston) can be a bit confusing, if not utterly insane.
I prefer crowriver's first route, as avoids the a71 from kirknewton to livi. Fimm are you wondering about the NCN 75 route which takes you to east Calder via rough land rover track that ends at St. Paul's primary in east Calder. From there it S straight into the almondell country park and continuing off road route to mid Calder.
Basically the permutations are numerous and each of us finds the one that agrees with us and usually sticks to that unless we spot someone else doing something different?
For example I used to go through east Calder then mid Calder then follow the road towards livi and then a tricky right down towards the river. However I now take a left at midcalder and take the kirk road to Lizzie Bruce then towards murieston . Obviously this takes me to a different bit of livi.
It’s Almondvale near Dedridge that head to in livingston. I cycled a path home yesterday did seem to take a while longer and lots of glass was a path that went on the pavement of the A889 slip road coming in to Livingston. I followed the signs from near Asda would think there may be a better way will have to try some of those routes.
@fimm, I've ridden the route through Station Road before - the crossing is pretty good, as it's a signalled junction with Toucans IIRC, it's on the Sustrans route:
https://goo.gl/maps/ysimwyNRRrm
Ah, now I get you, the second route goes down a track, must have automatically been routed that way by Googol. Would be probably better to go straight through East Calder on Langton Road...
I do the Livingston to Edinburgh cycle home most nights. There are quite a few options (some of which the others have already highlighted so apologies if I'm duplicating what others have already said!). I tend to stick to a handful that I know... here they are in order of preference:
(1) The Lanark Road via the Station Road in East Calder and Kirknewton
(2) The old Dalmahoy Road - as above but pass through Kirknewton village rather than heading up past Kirknetwon airbase
(3) Follow the Livingston backpaths past Inveralmond school, up and over the A899 and head for Drumshoreland Road, Broxburn, Kirkliston - along the back of the airport and join NEPN. How exactly you pick up the backpaths depends where you are in Livi!
(4) Stick with A71 - turn off at the Gogar Station road - there is a little road that runs up past one of the delivery companies - the road looks like a cul de sac buuuut at the very end there's a gravel path that will deliver you to Edinburgh Park. From here you can pick up the cycle paths that run along the train/tram tracks.
(5) If you want to follow mostly offroad trails - there is a bike path that follows the River Almond. If you follow the signposts it should eventually leave you in Almondell park. Follow the road out of Almondell park (toward Broxburn) and take a right past the Cadet base, you will pick up the canal about a mile down the road. I think the canal aquaduct is still shut - but you can pick the Water of Leith path just after Slateford. The Almond path is particularly enjoyable!!
I notice some cyclists take the A71 in to livi at lizzie brice in Livingston but this seems more dangerous that first part of A899.
On the A71 in Livingston its 2 narrow for a car to pass safely with oncoming traffic. On the A899 there is 2 lanes so cars can pass, even when 2 cars pass at once more room than on the A71 when a car passes and an oncoming car.
I always think the most dangerous part of a trip from Livingston to Edinburgh is the A71 is between Wilkieston and the turn of to Curriehill road as cars cannot overtake and corners so cars come up fast behind and have to brake.
Many people drive too fast to stop on narrow roads with corners. I think roads like the A71 from Wilkieston to curriehill turn off amongst the most dangers road to cycle on.
I am not sure that the first stage of the A899 when entering Livingston is that dangerous as cars have good visibility a passing lane and cars enter exit the roundabout from a slower speed.
When leaving Livingston entering the A899 it is more a conflict problem than a safety one, cars enter the slip road slowing at round about there then stuck behind until the slip roads splits to 2.
it causes a nuisance to traffic stuck behind having to wait but as low speed and good visibility and can spot someone from a slow speed not that great a safety issue https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@55.8857263,-3.5027863,3a,75y,63.32h,68t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sORJxJIB3sOOWyqBK5iy6sA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 unlike say narrow sections of the A71 where traffic
may not stop and hit you at high speed https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@55.9061976,-3.3780754,3a,75y,253.87h,70.56t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1ssxNW7CpP0P4P6a9Szwcx1g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 .
@Ed1 - I tend to agree with you about the A71. It is fast and has very poor road conditions along the kerb (potholed etc).
The A899 is perfectly cyclable but having been trapped on my fair share of uncomfortable dual carriageways I tend to avoid them. Some of the "minor" A roads in Fife have terrified me.
Some of the "minor" A roads in Fife have terrified me
Which ones?
@paddyirish
Not too familiar with the roads if I am honest - I have generally only passed through Fife when heading North or West on the bike.
Last year on my way home from a tour I decided to depart from the signposted routes and explore - I had never been to Cumbernauld and Lochgelly and decided to take the scenic route around Loch Leven and go explore. The roads I took were uncomfortably fast (especially given I was on a fully loaded bike) - in my head I remembered them as dual carriageways but looking at google maps now would suggest otherwise.
Cumbernauld and Lochgelly and decided to take the scenic route around Loch Leven and go explore.
That's a fair detour - you don't mean Cardenen (or Cowdenbeath) do you?
Cowdenbeath even :)
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